Wheat-heater.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

aiwentaw v I I I :6

wiihwoeo v mama NITED. STATES. PATENT, orrron- CHARLES F. ROCK ANDTWILLIA'M D. ANDERSON, OF MILWAUKEE.

- WISCONSIN.

WHEAT-HEATER.

Specification of. Letters Patent;

Patented Dec. 25', 1906.

Application filed January 15,1906. Serial No. 296,043.

may be effectively treated preparatory to the grinding, operation, thewheat being passed longitudinally through and mixed in an annular'chamber, which is located between two annular steam-chambers, at thebaseof which the wheat is collected and delivered through aregulatin -spout.

In the fol owing description reference is had tovthe accompanyingdrawings, in which" Figure 1 is a side elevation of ourinvention. viewof the same. Fig. 3 is .a planview.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view drawn on line :1; :1: of

Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a bottom view with the collecting-chamber andregulator removed.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

The chambers 'are'formed by providing a series of concentric cylinders1,2, 3, and 4, respectively. To formthe steam-chambers 7 .and 8, thecylinder 3 is preferably expanded at its'upperend into contact with thecylinder 4, to which it is secured by bolts or rivets 6. The cylinder 4is reduced at its lower end andbrought'into contact with the cylinder 3,to which it is also secured by rivets 6. The cylinder 2 is similarlyreduced at its upper end and connected with cylinder 1, the latter beingexpanded atits lower end and connected with cylinder 2, as shown, thusforming the chambers 7 and 8, with an annular- .passage 9 between themhaving diverging walls at its upper end. The wheat passes downwardlythrough this passage 9, into which itis delivered by a spout 15 and adistTibuting-cone 16. The steam-chambers are connected at-their upperends by bolts 10,

which are preferably passed through spacingsleeves l1, similarbolts andspacing-sleeves 12 and 13, respectively, being employed to connect thelower ends of the steam-cham- Fig. 2 is a vertical centralsectionalbers. The wall of the cylinder 3 is extended upwardly, as shownat 17, and provided with an outwardly-extending flange 18, which ispreferably reinforced vby a ring 19 and provided with apertures 20, (seeFig. 3,) adapted to facilitate suspending the device by means ofhanger-bolts 21, Fig. 2. The lower end of the cylinder 3 is extendeddownwardly, and a collecting-cone24 is connected with it by setscrews25.

, A regulating device 26 is mounted upon an adjusting-rod 27 within thecollecting-cone 24. This regulating device has a conicallytapered lowerend 29. The upper end of the rod 27 is square in cross-section andpasses through a suitable opening in a bar 30, which prevents this rodfrom turning, but permits it to be raised and lowered by means of thenut 31 operating between the arms 32 and 33 of a bracket connected withthe lower end of the collecting-chamber 24, which chamber is extendeddownwardly in the form of a dis.- charge-spout.

Steam is admitted to. the chamber, 7 I

through a pipe 35, which passes inwardly through the lower extension ofcylinder 3 and upwardly in the inner chamber 36 and then outwardlythrough cylinder 1. Adischarge-pipe38, similarly arranged, communicateswith the chamber 7 at a point opposite the connection of the inlet-pipe.We have also preferably provided a vent-pipe 39,

which leads from the upper portion of the chamber 7 inwardly andupwardly in chamber 36 and then outwardly through the upper-ends of therespective cylinders. Steam is admitted to the chamber 8 through asuitable port 40 and exhausts through a port 41,

this chamber being provided with a ventport 42.

The walls of the wheat-passage 9 are provided with deflecting-rings 45and 46, respectively. These rings are preferably formed of wire and arerigidly secured to the outer and inner walls, respectively, of thewheatpassage 9. The Wire of which the rings are composed may be eithertriangular in crosssection, as shown at 45, or round in crosssection, asshown at 46, the style of wire employed being immaterial. The wires 45and 46 are arranged alternately and serve to. defleet the wheat inopposite directions away from the outer and inner walls of the passage,

causing the wheat to mix and turn, so that all portions become equallyheated while passing between the steam-chambers.

It will be observed that the walls of the cone 29 are substantiallyparallel with those of the cone 24. This arrangement permits a closeadjustment of the regulating device without clogging.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set ofconcentrically-arranged cylindrical steam-chambers formed with anannular passage between them; and a series of deflecting-rings arrangedin alternation upon the inner and outer walls of said passage.

2. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set ofconcentrically-arranged cylindrical walls connected in pairs at theirupper and lower ends to form a pair of concentric steam-chambers havingan annular passage between them and deflectingrings arranged atintervals on the walls of said passage and rigidly connected therewith.

3. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set ofconcentrically-arranged steam-chambers formed with'an annular passagebetween them; a set of rings on each of the walls of said passage,formed of wire, and rigidly secured to the respective walls; said ringsbeing widely separated arranged in alternation on opposite sides of thepassage, and adapted to partially obstruct the passage at intervals.

4. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set of fourconcentricallyarranged cylinders separated from each other by annularspaces, the intermediate cylinders having their upper portions conicallytapered in opposite directions and secured to the inner and outercylinders; said inner and outer cylinders having their lower endsconically tapered convergingly and secured to the intermediatecylinders; a dis tributing-cone covering the upper ends of the innercylinders, and deflecting devices located in the space between theintermediate cylinders.

5. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set ofconcentricallyarranged steam-chambers formed with an annular passagebetween them; a distributing cone supported by the inner steam-chamber,and arranged to deliver grain into said annular space; a collecting-conebelow said chamber, and a regulating device mounted therein and having atapered lower end with sides substantially parallel to the walls of. thecollecting-cone; said collecting-cone being provided with adischarge-outlet below the regulating device and the tapered end of theregulating device being adapted to enter said outlet when the regulatoris in depressed position.

6. In a device of the described class, the combination of a set ofconcentrically-carranged steam-chambers formed with an annular passagebetween them; a distributingcone supported by the inner steam-chamber,and arranged to deliver grain into said annular space; a collecting-conebelow said chainbers, and a regulating device mounted therein and havinga tapered lower end with sides substantially parallel to the walls ofthe collecting-cone; said receiving-cone being provided with adischarge-outlet below the regulating device; together with a supportinrod for said regulating device; and an a justing-screw for lifting andlowering said rod.

7. In a device of the described class the combination of a set ofconcentrically-arranged steam-chambers formed with an annular passagebetween them; means for delivering grain into said passage; inlet andexhaust ducts connecting with the inner steam-chamber through the innerwall thereof; and inlet and exhaust ducts connecting with .the outersteam-chamber through the outer wall thereof.

8. In a device of the described class, the combination with acollecting-cone provided with a discharge-outlet at its lower end, of aregulatingdevice within the collecting-cone, tapered at both its upperand lower ends, and having its tapered lower end surface substantiallyparallel to the opposing surface of the collecting-cone guide-rodsconnected. to

the respective ends of the regulating device; and means, connected withthe lower guiderod, for adjusting the regulating device vertically.

9. In a device of the described class, the combination with acollecting-cone provided with a discharge-outlet at its lower end, of aregulating device within the collecting-cone tapered at both its upperand lower ends, and having its tapered lower end surface substantiallyparallel to the opposing surface of the collecting-cone guide-rodsconnected to the respective ends of the regulating device; and means,connected with the lower guide-rod, for adjusting the regulating devicevertically; said regulating device being out of contact with thecollecting-cone in all positions of adjustment.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

' CHARLES F. ROCK.

WILLIAM D. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

LEVERETT C. WHEELER, JAs. B. ERWIN.

